1 cup lentils
5 cups water
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsps salt
1 medium tomato--diced
1 small onion--sliced or diced
1 inch ginger--crushed and minced (about a teaspoon?)
3 cloves garlic--crushed and minced
1 minced hot pepper
4 cloves
1 inch piece cinnamon
Combine in a pot. Bring to the boil. Skim off scum if you wish. Cover and simmer on medium low for about 20 minutes without messing with it. Check for salt, and cook until desired tenderness.
Toppings:
Chicken / lamb sausage etc.
Sour cream, crema, yogurt
Cilantro
Lime
Pink lentils are more traditional, but all I had was brown. They tasted fine. It took about 30 minutes to get tender at high altitude. Leftovers were great with some gyro meat.